I just finished a month-long business trip to Salt Lake City, Utah. It’s weird, I’ve flown and driven through Utah before, but this time I gained a new appreciation of this beautiful state. The greater Salt Lake City area is a beautiful area. I saw the actual Great Salt Lake, drove out to Bonneville Salt Flats, toured the LDS Conference Center, and the LDS grounds where the Salt Lake Temple and Tabernacle are located. I enjoyed an incredible breakfast(s) at the Park Café, had lunch at the famous Red Iguana eatery, and enjoyed dinner with friends at Valter’s Osteria downtown. One month almost let’s you experience a location as the locals do. I took a self guided tour of the State Capitol, saw 20+ 4th of July fireworks displays, and witnessed the alpenglow beauty of SLC’s sunsets. I backpacked in neighboring Park City, where I witnessed my first Pokémon Go “encounter” or “encounter.” And I floated in Heber City’s famous Homestead Crater and took in a music concert. I very much appreciated my time in Salt Lake City.
I had a few three and four-day weekends and tried to take advantage of them by driving down to Moab, Escalante – Grant Staircase National Monument, as well as breathtaking Bryce Canyon. When friends discovered I was in Arches National Monument and Moab, many responded with “too bad you didn’t bring your Jeep!” To which I replied there was plenty to see with a rental car and backpack. Well after sleeping on it, that nagging feeling crept into me… I was in Moab and I WAS Jeep-less. Soooo… I rented a Jeep from Twisted Jeep Rentals & Tours (446 S Main St B, Moab, UT 84532). They gave a Jeep Wrangler JK Rubicon on 35’s with hydraulic-ram steering. It made easy work of turning on Moab’s insanely famous Slickrock. When I got to trailhead I met another group of JK owners from out of state; Colorado, to be exact. When I explained that I was a Jeep guy, was also from Colorado, and that I had a sweet rental Jeep, they agreed to let me join their merry bunch. We wheeled trails I had read about in 4×4 publications for years. I had the biggest smile on my face the entire time I was there.
After begrudgingly returning the JK to Twisted Jeep, I explored some of the arch trails in Arches. But I most wanted to see Bowtie and Corona Arches located west of Moab about an hour by car and foot. When I arrived in the arches which make up part of a huge box canyon, I was in awe of its size and beauty. There were a dozen of so day hikers in the area when I arrived, but I soon had the entire area all to myself. It was incredible… complete silence except were it not for the thunder in the distance echoing off of the canyon walls. This was one of my favorite moments of the year.
I also had the opportunity to explore the Peek-a-Boo and Spooky slot canyons off of Hole-in-the-Rock Road in the Grand Staircase – Escalante area. This was another w-o-w moment for me. This area was rugged, beautiful, and only slightly scary. I got to Spooky Gulch about three hours before sunset (6pm~ish) so I had a decent amount of exploration time. I won’t talk too much about the gulch, but suffice it to say that I had a blast. Some of the slot canyons are so tight, that in order to squeeze through I had to exhale all of my breath to squeeze through certain passage.
I made a point, a several-hours-in-the opposite-direction-of-SLC point, to drive to Bryce Canyon. I’m glad I did, but after a few fast-paced long days in the Utah desert, I was exhausted. Before I got to Bryce Canyon I had to sleep in my rental car… it was a Chevy Cruze. If your friends ever ask, you do NOT want to try to ever sleep in a Chevy Cruze. The best way to do so was to fold down the back seat and sleep halfway in the car trunk and halfway in the passenger compartment. Yeah, it’s weird. Anyway, Bryce Canyon is beautiful and I was lucky enough to catch the sunrise in Sunrise Canyon. The thing’s you’ll do for that perfect sunrise.
I met some pretty amazing people in Utah, and took in some incredible fireworks displays, sunrises, and sunsets. I went to a car show, caught a movie or two, and got to meet some of my Instagram followers, all during what was originally described to me as “just another boring business trip.”
What about you… have you got to explore some of the iconic scenic locations Utah has to offer? If so, which ones?
I love Escalante! A simple hike with an awesome view is the Lower Calf Creek Falls. My parents took us there a few times when I was little. My mom and her family lived in Escalante many years ago. I was able to go back a few years ago to help spread my grandmother’s ashes where she loved to be. That is one of my zen places.
On another note, you look vaguely familiar. I enlisted in the Navy around the time you joined the Army (if I’m doing my math correctly). It could be a possibility that our paths may have crossed at one point in time.